


Stand Up - The Ending for People who Wanted SouMako

by Jeanisnotawinchester (theanonymousj)



Category: Free!
Genre: Angst, M/M, Unhappy Ending, from Haru's perspective, i guess, idk - Freeform, uh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-22
Updated: 2015-07-22
Packaged: 2018-04-10 16:47:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4399640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theanonymousj/pseuds/Jeanisnotawinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru is upset about SouMako being a thing.</p><p>IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU GO READ STAND UP BY what_would_freckled_jesus_do FIRST, OKAY? OKAY.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rick Astley Lied

**Author's Note:**

  * For [what_would_freckled_jesus_do](https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_would_freckled_jesus_do/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you... did you see that bit about reading Stand Up by what_would_freckled_jesus_do first? No? Then go read it. Go on. Get outta here. Go read all their stuff. Appreciate real talent. Then come back here and cry over my attempts at re-creating that talent.

Haru thought it was weird that Iwatobi had a reunion just one year after everyone had left for university – but he went anyway. He wasn’t particularly sure why, but it was a good a reason as any to come home and meet up with some old friends, before flying out to Australia to stay with Rin. Wandering around, he realised he barely knew anyone from his old class. One or two of them had come and asked him about his swimming, but he could barely remember their names. He wasn’t really having fun. In fact, he was bored. He resolved that maybe he should just go.

And he was about to finish his drink and leave when he spotted Makoto. He hadn’t seen Makoto at all since graduation. They hadn’t so much as spoken. It barely even registered as to why he was there at all, except of course he was. But he couldn’t speak to Makoto right now, and he downed his drink and walked toward the door.

His body came to a sudden stop as he ploughed straight into something solid and warm. He looked up, meeting a familiar pair of turquoise eyes, “Sosuke…?”

Sosuke stared down at him with a frown etched onto his face, “Haru?”

Eventually it clocked with Haru that Sosuke didn’t go to Iwatobi. He shouldn’t be there. Right in front of him. Blocking the exit. Why had he been leaving?

“Are you going somewhere?”

Haru kept staring at him, not fully registering the question, “I don’t know…”

“Sou!” Sosuke’s head snapped up looking over Haru’s head, eyes fixed on the brunet calling his name. Haru winced, realising he should have just walked around Sosuke and left because he’d recognise that voice anywhere. He turned and was immediately confronted with Makoto, staring at him quizzically. They didn’t say anything, and then Makoto looked up at Sosuke, “Were you two chatting?”

They both stared at him silently, glancing at each other for an answer. Had they been chatting – not really; but they had conversed briefly. Did that count? Makoto shook his head, attention still totally on Sosuke, “I think that means no.”

Sosuke shook himself out of his daze, “He was just leaving.” He grabbed Makoto and dragged him back into the crowd and Haru stared after them until they disappeared. He walked home slowly along the beach; alone.


	2. Rick Astley Betrayed Us All

Two days later he rang the bell to Rin’s apartment twice and waited. The redhead opened it, smiling, “Haru!”

Haru walked in and Rin took his rucksack and carried it into the spare room – Rin actually had quite a big apartment, but then he’d never been short of money. They chatted all afternoon, catching up on swim talk and… well, not much else. Swimming was a massive part of their lives, and they could both easily talk about nothing else for weeks. Rin, to be perfectly honest, was just enjoying speaking in his first language again.

But Haru had a question, “have you spoken to Sosuke or Makoto recently?”

After what happened between them, it was well known that Haru and Makoto would probably never speak again. Haru was never particularly close to Sosuke, so they hadn’t spoken since high school either. Rin, on the other hand, was determined to maintain his friendships after what had happened last time, so of course his answer was “yes,” followed by “why?”

“The Iwatobi High reunion was a couple of days ago and they were both there.”

Rin frowned and sipped his third cup of tea, “Of course they were.”

Haru stared back at him blankly, and Rin suddenly realised why.

“They’re engaged, Haru.”

The information hit him like a brick wall and he wasn’t sure how he felt – sick. He felt sick. Lightheaded. His chest hurt.

“Haru, are you okay?”

He ignored the question completely, “so Sosuke was Makoto’s… date?”

Rin might have laughed if Haru hadn’t looked positively ill. He was very pale.

“Yes, Sosuke was probably there as Makoto’s fiancé.”

Haru felt overwhelmed with regret. He put his tea down and blinked slowly. Rin read him like a book.

“Don’t do this to yourself Haru; if it was meant to be, then you two would have gotten over what happened by now.”

He automatically nodded, not actually hearing Rin.

Thinking back to the party, he tried to focus on the way Makoto had looked with Sosuke. He’d looked… happy. More than that: he’d looked loved.

And Haru had never given him that. Not once.

He’d send Makoto a short text that evening, congratulating him on his engagement, and he’d receive one a few minutes later reading ‘Thanks.’ They would never speak again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, cookies and milk to everyone who comments or leaves kudos (or water and cabbage for people who are vegan/lactose intolerant idk).
> 
> Apologies to what_would_freckled_jesus_do: you mentioned soumako and I only went and wrote you another ending... ah well.
> 
> If you read Stand Up and decided that you'd rather it end in makoharu, then I have an ending for that called Stand Up - The Ending for People who Wanted Happiness.


End file.
